Vertigo
Simone thanks his friends for the prayers and thoughts. His vet has diagnosed him with head tilt caused by inner ear infection. No tests were done, but the diagnosis is based on signs of head tilt, vertigo (dizziness), some trouble with balance, and inside one of his ears seems to be inflamed. He recommended that Simone be given a broad spectrum antibiotic for 10 days, and we should see improvement in about 3 days. He said Simone has a good chance of recovery because he is still fairly young (just over five years) and he drinks his water. He fed Simone crushed food through a syringe.
I have mixed feelings on this - most of the websites I find on head tilt and inner ear problems say antibiotics are recommended for a whole month at the LEAST. Ten days seems insufficient by this description. Some of them make it sound like the prognosis of the bun returning to normal is terrible, others suggest his chance for recovery is good. I'm banking on that one, but just want to be sure I don't screw it up.
This is a new vet and I don't want to overwhelm them with challenges and questions, but they also didn't mention cecotropes. (Fi, don't tell Simone you read that or it might embarass him.) If he has trouble eating, he might not get his cecotropes and that would be bad! However, the vet didn't mention if I need to somehow help him with this.
I feel terrible for not always giving Simone the attention and time he deserves. If I had paid closer attention to him over the last day or so, I would have noticed changes sooner. One positive about this, however, is it might help Simone and Mama reconnect a bit. It just really sucks for Simone. He's gotta be really confused and puzzled by all of this.
- Mama
posted by Simone @ 3:26 PM
17 comments
17 Comments:
Oh no poor baby Simone! I'd absolutely keep him on the antibiotics longer. Find all sorts of fun veggies for him to try out and do different things to get him to eat. I used to have a rabbit with chronic GI stasis and I'd try ripping up the greens in tiny pieces (so they'd release more aroma) or just bugging him by putting greens near his face so he'd eat it to get it out of the way. Peaches and I are sending good thoughts your way!
Oh my sweet baby - I hope you are better soon!!!
I'd touchbase with another doc just to be on the safe side. Buns can live with headtilt. Watch him closely to be sure he doesn't begin rolling. My vet had me puree a bit of apple with parsley into a paste that was easier for Fi to eat when she had bloat that may help.
Poor baby! Do get a second opinion, by all means! Tidbit sends her love, tilt or no tilt! If she can help in any way, don't hesitate to ask!
I understand that this is a new vet, so maybe he would understand that you may want confirmation from a second opinion. Head-tilt is a serious disease, and when my Hayley was suspected of having it, we discussed her situation with 2 vets. Big *HUGS* to you from our warren!
=:8
you might also want to find out if there is a vet the specializes in buns in your area - when archi's left leg started pointing backwards my vet told me to see another in the area that specializes in bunnies because she wasn't sure what all the options were.
sometimes some of the rabbit sites have lists of local vets like that.
carri ann
aka archi's mum
Gosh Simone, we're so sorry to heer yore not feeling well! We sure hope you are feeling much better and hopping arownd agane soon.
Finny & Buddy
Poor bunny baby. There is nothing wrong with asking more questions or getting a second opinion. We're sending you good thoughts and healing purrs (which are known to help bunnies too!). Good luck.
Hi Simone! I head a head tilt last year. They didn't know what caused it but I did go on Clyndamyacin (sp?) for a month and it did go away. It was very slow to go away but I'm fine now! I hope you feel better soon.
Your cat friend,
Latte
Hi Simone! We's sending purrs and purrayers for yoo. Lots of them. And we agrees that it's good to get anofur V-E-T opinion and ask the current V-E-T lotsa questions.
Purrrrrs,
Sanjee, Boni, Mini, Pepi and Gree
o, simone, we's sending u's lots of purr-rayers 'n good thots... i's posted u's on tha Pet Prayer & Praise bloggie. we's hafing a prayer vigil tonight... we be sure to pray extra-hard for u's ta get better.
purrrrsss, KC
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Oh, Simone, we hope you get better very soon! We feel so bad that you are under the weather. Another food you could try if you aren't eating fresh veggies is baby food (like carrot or spinach). Mom had to feed it to me in a syring when I was sick.
And please tell your mom not to beat herself up over not giving you 100% attention recently! All moms get busy from time to time and you are very lucky to have such a loving mom who obviously cares so much about you.
It sounds like you're a great bunny mom to care so much. We think Simone will be just fine with the antibiotics - see if they can put some banana flavor in it (the best bun docs have to have banana flavor).
Hi Simone! We read about you on the Cat Blogosphere and came to give you a get well wish. We lost our precious 10-year-old bun, Dustbunny, to head tilt, but hers was so sudden and severe she couldn't even take any antibiotics. So we think you should be a very good bun and take yours for a long time!
Many Meows,
Rocky
CEO (Cat Executive Officer)
and the Artsy Catsy cat staff
Hi, Simone! I herd bout you on Cat Blogosphere, too. Mom says yur bean should certainly ask questions of yur reglar vet. She studied ears at one time (ew) an finks the diffrint outcomes are cuz of damage from the infection; wait too long to start meds an more damage is done. Yur mom got you on meds quickly, an that's good. Takin the meds longer just helps make certain the bad bugs are reely, reely gone. I reely hope you feel better soon an eat all yur good bunny food. Purrs, Victor
Mummy has no experience with head tilt so all she can say is we hope you get better soon!!
Also, let your mom know that she's a great bunnymom, and not to worry!
Dopey
We are sending good foofs, head butts, and purrs yer way bun buddy, get well ~Rabbie Burns and the Poiland Tribe
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